The Dancer and the Rich Man
by liuli-xia
Summary: An emerald-eyed teen strolled down the street with her iPod in hand and oblivious to the people around her. A black-haired, black-eyed man closed his eyes to conceal his frustration. "May I have this dance?" "You never told me your name, you know." Modern AU; Dedicated to Yuuki-Hime 2097 ItaSaku


Modern AU ItaSaku story. This one-shot is dedicated to the awesome Yuuki-Hime 2097.

**Disclaimer:** Don't see any ItaSaku babies running around in the series, do you?

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><p>An emerald-eyed teen strolled down the street with her iPod in hand and oblivious to the people around her. Her bare feet made no noise on the pavement. She didn't mind the looks that the passers-by gave her. Instead, she smiled back at them and went on her merry way. She pulled her hood over her face a little more and tucked her hands into the pockets of her sleeveless jacket as she ducked into a side alley. The iPod was stashed into one of the many pockets in her ragged cargo pants. After all she did to get the blasted thing, she did not plan on losing it or having it get stolen.<p>

She slipped in and out of the alley way shadows, careful to avoid the drunkards and druggies. She'd gotten mixed up with them once before and didn't want to have a repeat experience. The other end of the alley came into sight and soon she was on the streets of the wealthy side of town. She didn't like the people on this end of town but the park was worth it. Darting across the street, the girl slipped into the park and made for the trees.

She smiled as she breathed in the fresh air and let her hood fall off, revealing her bubblegum pink hair. This place among the trees was her sanctuary, and had been since she discovered it as a young child after her parents died. The pink-haired girl tossed her jacket to the ground and closed her eyes. Her balance shifted to her toes as she went up and began to dance, the one she did when she first saw _him_.

A black-haired, black-eyed man closed his eyes to conceal his frustration. For the last five years, his parents had been pushing him to find a girl and get married. Or, at least, his mother had. The woman, no matter how much he loved her, tended to grate on his nerves with her pleas to get married so that she could have grandchildren. She had even gone so far as to try to set him up with women, but to no avail. None of them even sparked an interest.

He sighed as he strolled into the park near his family's manor. It was the one place that he could find peace, outside of his mother's garden. He sat down on a bench near the trees and allowed his body to relax as he stared up at the clouds. He let his mind wander and was startled to find that his thoughts settled on a young woman he had met over a month ago.

He had been wandering the streets, seeking to calm his mind after a long day of work. It had been in the downtown area where all the clubs and bars were located. His cousin had recommended that particular section of town to him, and he had followed his advice. After a while, he grew bored of the scene and decided to walk around. That's when he saw her. She had been dancing on a street corner with a brown-haired girl while two boys and another girl played music for them and a little dog watched. It was breath taking, the way she moved. Her body flowed to the rhythm and even with her eyes closed, she still moved in time with the other dancer. Then, she began to sing and the other dancer flowed into the musicians and began playing as well.

Since that night, he constantly was seen about the downtown but never the dancer and her group. He asked around, but no one knew her name or her companions' names. Several people told him that they'd never seen her around before.

As she danced, a nonexistent melody began to play in her head. She heard Shikamaru's drum beat begin, joined by Ino's fiddle, and then Gaara's guitar. They made up an exotic, unique melody that drew in people, even before she began to sing. Her feet began to move to the beat she heard as her body flowed to the strumming of a guitar and the playing of a fiddle. She imagined that Matsuri was dancing with her, their matching bell anklets ringing with their steps. Then, the beat changed and Matsuri's dancing bells melted away as her tambourine began to play. Pretending that the man she saw that night was watching her, her movements became more fluid and graceful as she held up the edges of an imaginary skirt. The dancer then opened her mouth and began to sing.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts by someone singing, _her_ singing. He looked around, trying to find her but she was nowhere in sight. He turned his gaze towards the trees. He stood and glided like a silent shadow between the trees as he followed her voice.

It wasn't long before he found her in a clearing, dancing to a tune only she could hear. His dark eyes followed her every movement, captivated by her grace and beauty. The young man leant upon a tree and closed his eyes, letting her melodic voice wash over him when she stopped.

The pink-haired dancer opened her eyes as she spun and suddenly stopped her singing and dancing. A man, the one she was dancing for, stood at the edge of her clearing, leaning against a tree. She was sure that he had been watching her. A moment later he opened his eyes and looked straight at her.

"Why did you stop? You have a beautiful voice." His voice was deep and soft.

She looked down at her toes, blushing to the roots of her hair. "I- I didn't know you were there. I'm not used to people watching me when I'm alone."

He dipped his head in apology. "I am sorry for disturbing you, miss."

A silence settled between them, not exactly awkward but not entirely comfortable, rather somewhere in the middle.

Finally, he broke the silence. "May I know your name, miss?"

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and her emerald eyes met his onyx ones. "I'm Sakura, Sakura Haruno."

He smirked. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

She scoffed. "Please. I am barefoot and in ragged clothes. I am not beautiful."

" 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' " he quoted. "Where did you learn to dance?"

"I took lessons as a child, and then I taught myself. Do you dance?"

He nodded and approached her, hand extended. "May I have this dance?"

She smiled and took his hand. "Yes, though I don't normally dance with others."

He led her in a slow waltz, guiding her gently.

"What about the brown-haired girl?"

"You mean Matsuri? She and I usually perform separately to bring in more money."

"Oh?" His curiosity about the dancer in his arms was piqued. She performed on the streets for money?

She heard the unasked question and decided to answer. "She and I room with my younger brother who is her boyfriend, her older brother, and her brother's girlfriend. The five of us share an apartment and pay for rent with the money we get from performances or odd jobs here and there."

He spun her out and pulled her closer to himself as he spun her back into his arms. They danced in silence, his thoughtful and hers dazed. His thoughts were surrounding the woman, _Sakura_, in his arms, amazed at how she and her friends and family managed to care for themselves and each other. When he had seen them perform, the way they were so synchronized and comfortable with each other spoke volumes, especially now that he knew their relations.

Sakura was surprised that anyone outside of her small group was taking the time to talk to her. Ever since her parents had died, she had lived on the streets, caring for her younger brother. Not long after, the siblings met a little blond girl named Ino, adopting her into their little family. When they met Shikamaru and Matsuri, the five had decided to stick together and help care for each other. Ultimately, Matsuri and Gaara ended up together, as well as Shikamaru and Ino. Because they were street rats, no one really bothered to talk to them, other than requesting songs or dances for them to perform.

Eventually, their dance came to an end. The black-haired man smiled down at Sakura as he stepped away, causing her to blush.

"Thank you for the dance, Miss Sakura."

"You're welcome, sir." She looked up at him with a coy smile. "You never told me your name, you know."

"Itachi Uchiha." He smirked back at her.

"Itachi… I like your name."

Itachi checked his watch and frowned slightly. His mother was going to pester him for being late to dinner again.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, donning her jacket and pocketing her iPod.

He nodded. "It's nothing, though I thank you for your concern."

"You're welcome." She began to walk away when she stopped and looked back at him. "We'll be performing at the street corner again this Friday, if you want to come. You may even get to dance with me." She winked and fled the park.

It took a moment for her words to process in his mind. He smiled. She remembered him from that night, too. As he made his way back to the manor, he made his plans for Friday, including dancing and dinner later. He wanted to get to know Sakura better, and someday bring her home to meet his family. He didn't care that she wasn't from high society or wasn't wealthy. She sparked his interest, enough to plan ahead far into the future.

Ino was waiting for Sakura, and the moment the pinkette walked in the door, the blonde pounced.

"Where were you? What happened?"

"Remember that one black-haired guy I was telling you about after that performance in the downtown section? Well, we talked and he asked me to dance, then I told him when and where we would be performing next."

The blond squealed. "I am so happy for you! What was his name?"

Sakura just looked at her. "Um, Itachi Uchiha."

Matsuri poked her head around the corner. "Hey Sakura, did you just say Uchiha? As in Itachi Uchiha?"

"She did!" Ino smiled.

The brunette's jaw dropped. "Oh. My. God. The Uchihas are freaking rich!"

"Not to mention, no girl ever, _ever_, can land even a second date with him," the blonde added. "Much less, get a first date or talk to him! You are so lucky!"

"How do you know this?" Sakura eyed the two women suspiciously.

"The magazines at the grocery store. Duh!" They replied in unison.


End file.
